Unexpected Friendships
by Nonny The Anon One
Summary: Valerie needs ghost hunting support.  Can she talk Sam into helping her and being her friend? [On hiatus]
1. Chapter 1

**As a reward for being the first person to guess my motivations for calling Vlad, Plaid, Lacey52 won the honor of giving me a writing challenge. **

**I am writing a fic based on this quote. "Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow; don't walk behind me, I may not lead; just walk beside me and be my friend." -- Anonymous**

**I decided to throw things off kilter a little bit and work with a friendship possibility we see rarely, but one I think works spectacularly. So without further adieu in introduce to you my challenge story:**

I Will Neither Lead or Follow You My Friend

"For goodness sake Sam!" Valerie said as she placed her hands on her hips and tapped her foot! "Do you have to always be unique to the point that you exclude everyone and everything out of your life?" She was trying so hard to be friends with the Goth girl, but Sam was having none of it.

Sam Manson looked up from her desk and sighed heavily at Valerie Grey. Their sadistic Social Studies teacher decided that pairing Valerie and Sam up on a project together just as Spring Break started would be brilliant. So, Sam and Valerie had spent the afternoon after school brainstorming. Neither wanted to put things off until the last minute. Unfortunately, Valerie's take charge attitude just rubbed Sam the wrong way and she refused to cooperate.

"I'm not a follower like your little A-list friends," Sam said coldly. "And I think the project you outlined is cliché. Everyone in class is going to do some sort of graph on their family history. I think maybe we can be a little bit more original, but really Val do what you want. I'll even let you take all the credit for it."

"We're supposed to work together!" Valerie growled. "That's the whole point of the project!" Valerie sat down next to Sam and watched her draw swirls on the paper in front of her.

Valerie really wanted to be friends with Sam. Was that insane or what? The Goth girl had accused Valerie of being a follower, but things had changed. Since her father had lost his job, and consequently everything else, she took a whole lot less for granted. Plus, Valerie was used to being liked and it really irked her that she couldn't get past Sam's tough exterior. She figured that maybe part of it was because they both liked, liked Danny, but that wasn't it. Valerie knew there was another reason, she just couldn't figure it out.

The thing was, Danny always had a lot to say about Sam. In defense at first. Valerie had commented on Sam's bad attitude and Danny set her straight.

"_Val you just don't know Sam," Danny had said after one of their now frequent phone conversations where Sam's hostility toward Valerie came up. "She's not like other people. She's really loyal and super protective of her friends"_

"_Yeah all two of them," Valerie had scoffed. "You and Tuck."_

_Danny sighed, "Sam has trust issues. She's hard to get to know. Heck she even knows Tuck's and my deepest darkest secrets, but there are things about her we just don't know and probably never will. The girl is like a vault." Danny laughed and said. "It's like she has secret government training to keep her from cracking." _

Valerie had been aware of her need for a new friend for awhile. Hanging out with Star was great when you didn't want your brain cells to have a work out. But, tell Star secrets? Forget it. Her name might be Star but she really was a dim bulb. Plus she was untrustworthy.

Valerie needed to keep her ghost hunting on the down low and she realized that she needed help. Sam was just the person to do that. Firstly, she wasn't scared of ghosts. Valerie knew Sam didn't run from them. Secondly, as Danny pointed out. Sam was Fort Knox when it came to guarding secrets.Plus her secret that she had a new ghost suit wouldn't stay secret for long, and if she already had people backing her up, it wouldn't be so hard once things were revealed. Finally Sam was really cool, Valerie could see what she was like as a friend, even if it was from the outside looking in.

Sam sighed and looked at Valerie in irritation. "I really have better things to do than sit in here locked up with you all afternoon." Her thoughts drifted to Danny and Tucker and the video games and movies and other trouble they were getting into at this very moment all without her.

"Yeah and I don't have better things to do?" Valerie asked thinking of all the ghost chaos that could be occurring at any moment. Heck her chance to finally catch that darned ghost punk was probably slipping right through her fingers as she sat here arguing with Sam.

Sam regarded Valerie thoughtfully. At least keeping the ghost hunter locked up in a class room all afternoon kept her from Danny…in more ways than one. But, still Valerie's take charge, I'm the boss, this is how we are going to do it, stance just teed her off to no end. Sam was stubborn and once she dug her heels into something, as Tucker would agree, it was tough to budge her.

Valerie surveyed the situation for a moment. She was a natural leader. She was used to calling the shots. That's something she defiantly had in common with Sam. She was a leader as well. Valerie knew Sam kept Danny and Tucker in line. The way she saw it, Sam was the leader of the whole group. Valerie frowned, maybe the whole problem was that Sam felt threatened by Valerie's natural leadership qualities.

The thought that Sam, yes bossy Sam was the boss of anything, the leader of anything would have mortified her. The fact that it was the truth aside. Sam didn't want to be the leader. She didn't want of follow. Sam wanted to think outside the box. Change the rules. Be different! "Color outside the lines!", was her personal mantra.

Tucker could have cleared things up for Valerie had he been there and been willing to consult with the Ghost Hunter on how to crack Sam. He would have told Valerie that Sam was, Predictably Unpredictable. "She's an oxymoron!" he would have laughed, then been reduced to a whimpering pulp of Techno Geek by one of Sam's crushing boots. Or better yet she had the perky little heart of a preppy cheerleader hidden in that Goth exterior, always at war with the contradiction of herself.

Sam tapped her pencil on her desk. Her head was propped on her hand and she was looking at Valerie and wondering what exactly the girl wanted from her? To torment her with the fact that she had shared a bond with Danny that Sam just couldn't bring herself to explore? To point out the fact that she could successfully bridge the gap between the A-list and the not so A-list? To simply annoy the hell out of her?

"I'm hungry," Valerie complained. She said nothing more. Perhaps she should just let Sam take the lead and decide where this stupid project was going to go, or the friendship…if she could talk Sam into it.

Sam didn't take the bait. She wasn't going to take the lead. She just sat and looked at Valerie like she'd grown two heads.

"Val," Sam finally said as she packed her books in her bag. She was irritated and had figured that this planning session would take less than thirty minutes, but it had stretched into an hour and a half. Danny's parents had decided that the week off for school would be perfect for a camping trip and Sam…well yeah, Sam wanted to spend as much time with him as she could before he left. "I don't know about you, but I have places to go and things to do on a Friday afternoon. I'm not wasting anymore time in here." She started to walk out.

"How about meeting me at the mall tomorrow afternoon?" Valerie yelled after Sam.

"The mall?" Sam said in almost exasperated outrage as she turned and looked at Valerie. Well, with Danny gone she really wouldn't have anything better to do, except sit and be bored as she watched Tucker talk about his new computerized gadgets. She sighed heavily as she hefted her book bag on to her shoulder. "Fine. Twelve thirty at the food court, but if you're not there. I'm going home."

**_XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX_**

Sam had to admit as she stood behind a plant with Valerie listening to Paulina's plans for the week and the "Ghost boy", that she was having fun. Valerie, far from being shallow with a penchant for fleecy tees from the Abyss, was really fun.

The thing that irritated Sam the most though, was not only that Valerie had chosen to dress in a style very similar to herself that day, but that she kept deferring to Sam. What should we do now? What do you want to eat? She'd stand and look at Sam as if expecting her to decide when and where they would go next. Sam decided that as fun as it was having a friend who was a girl and understood the girlish side of things, that it was also irritating. Tucker and Danny never asked or weedled, they just did what they were going to do. Opinions were nice but not necessary. Valerie acted like Sam's opinion was just a little too important, and the last thing Sam wanted was to be a shepard to a little sheep.

Valerie sighed in frustration. Maybe she was just trying too hard. Maybe Sam just didn't want to be friends with her. It could be that simply being friends with Sam was impossible. She'd been careful to not talk about Danny. They'd joked about Tucker, made fun of some of the clothes from the Abyss, a few of which Valerie really liked. But Sam just kept her cool unreachable exterior on.

Sam was irritated, Valerie could tell. She didn't like being shadowed . So much for letting her take the lead. It was like following someone around in circles. It wasn't until they spotted Miss A-list Princess that they started having fun. And it wasn't like they were mocking Paulina. Just listening to the girl's vapid conversations with her cronies. Both Valerie and Sam agreed that Paulina, with her dramatic displays over new clothing shipments at the Abyss and worship of the Ghost Boy, was an unwitting comic genius.

Valerie and Sam had been laughing when an alarm on Valerie's wrist went off. A look flashed across Valerie's face which was quite similar to Danny's ghost sense going off.

"Sam." Valerie said. "I need to…"

"Go," Sam said as she grabbed her bag. And ran with Valerie out of the mall. Valerie looked frantically around for a place to change into her ghost hunter's suit. Sam grabbed her by the neck and threw her into the bushes and stood watch. Valerie was stunned at first. Sam stood looking around for witnesses like a long practiced veteran.

"Hurry!" Sam yelled as she pointed at Skulker streaking across the sky. Valerie transformed quickly then took off. She noted at the corner of her eye that Sam was following. It was amazing that the girl could keep up with her, especially in those clunky combat boots.

If Skulker was shocked to see Valerie and Sam appear together, he didn't show it. He simply started firing at Valerie saying something about looking for the Ghost Child and pelts on floors and heads on walls.

"I'm gonna have your head on my wall Ghost!" Valerie yelled as she shot several blasts at Skulker, knocking him off guard."

"My head is not a trophy for little girls like yourself!" Skulker laughed as he shot blasts of his own, knocking Valerie to the ground. The fight was hard. Skulker wasn't a creature that Valerie was used to fighting alone. When this particular ghost showed up, the Ghost Kid was always around to divert his attention. Where was he today? The coward! He was probably somewhere watching Valerie get her butt kicked.

Sam watched nervously as Skulker slowly gained the upper hand on Valerie. As good as she was, Sam knew the Ghost Hunter simply wasn't experienced enough to handle a creature like Skulker alone. She dug in her bag and came out with the Fenton lipstick. She shot a blast at Skulker and managed to divert his attention enough to take a good hard blast to the middle by Valerie, then another and another.

Valerie hit the ghost with repeated blasts as she yelled, "Oh yeah you piece of slime! Take that. And that and that." She watched Sam fearlessly run up under the ghost and open the Fenton Thermos and capture it.

Sam was just tightening the lid on the ghost holding container when Valerie flew down and jumped off her hover board.

"Where did you get that?" Valerie asked as she pointed at the thermos.

"Uh," Sam said then winced. "Come on Val this is Amity Park. One doesn't walk around here without protection from ghosts."

"Yeah," Valerie agreed. "But where did you get it?"

"You know Danny's parents are ghost hunters right?" Sam asked quickly. "I swiped it from their lab."

"Oh," Valerie said still feeling a little suspicious. Sam sure seemed to know what she was doing during a ghost fight. Valerie wondered why as she watched the Goth Girl shove the thermos back into her bag.

"So do you want to go back into the mall or what?" Sam asked stiffly.

"No," Valerie said feeling a little uncomfortable. "You know my secret." How did she know in the first place?

Sam shrugged. "It's no big deal," She said in a flat tone of voice. "So you hunt ghosts.".

"With a high tech ghost hunting suit," Valerie pointed out. Sam just shrugged like it was something she encountered everyday.

"Please don't tell anyone," Valerie begged suddenly she felt frightened. She'd never talked about the Ghost Hunting with anyone except her father, and that was only to convince him that it was something she should be allowed to do. Sam could now reveal the fact that not only was she the Ghost Hunter, but she was new and improved.

Sam looked at Valerie with a look of sympathy. "Don't worry," She said. "You're secrets safe with me." It has been for a long time, Sam almost added but she didn't think she could go into any explanations without revealing the most important secret she had to guard, Danny's ghostly identity. She turned and started walking away.

"Sam wait!" Valerie yelled as she cued up the proper responses to change out of her Ghost Hunter uniform. Sam stopped, keeping her back turned and waited for Valerie to catch up and walk beside her.

"Doesn't anything phase you?" Valerie asked almost in awe. "I mean are you calm cool and collected at all times?"

Sam bit her lip as she walked, keeping her eyes straight ahead of her, not daring to look at Valerie. Part of her wanted to confide Danny's secret and make her understand Danny the ghost wasn't a bad guy, that she should stop hunting him. The other part of her was afraid that either it would make matters worse or Val and Danny would really start dating, considering there would no longer be the ghost hunting issue between them. She felt wretched.

"No," she finally answered. "Not all the time. When my friends are threatened or betrayed I tend to lose my cool and not think sensibly."

"Yeah," Valerie sighed. "I'm kinda that way too." Sam looked at her for a moment and smiled slightly. Valerie tried not to frown. It always seemed like Sam had the upper hand on things. Like she knew things that Valerie just didn't and couldn't know. Valerie conceded that it was probably the truth.

"Like I said," Sam continued in a wooden tone. "Your secret is safe with me."

"I need help," Valerie said in a rush. Sam looked startled for a moment and so Valerie started rattling off her reasoning. "You're not dumb, you know how to keep a secret, you can obviously take care of yourself during a fight, you're not scared and you obviously know how to deal with ghosts. I need help."

Sam gave her an incredulous and irate look. "Are you asking me to be your sidekick?" She asked in outrage. She wanted to say, "Sorry but I already have a job as a sidekick with someone I lo..like."

"No!" Valerie said in disgust. "I'm not asking you to be my sidekick. I'm asking you to be my friend. I really, really need a friend right now and…"

Sam took a deep breath. "I happen to like the ghost boy," She said. "I happen to think he is good for Amity Park and I know he's helped people. I'm not going to help you hunt him down!"

"I'm not asking you to!" Valerie said, a sense of disappointment welling up inside her. Why did she suddenly feel like crying. Was it because of the rejection? Sam obviously didn't want Valerie as a friend, and it hurt.

"I'll stop things with Danny," Valerie said quickly. "I'll consider him off limits."

Sam stopped walking and looked incredulously at Valerie. It was amazing, Sam thought that Valerie had just opened the door to what Sam wanted the most. But it was wrong and Sam knew it. Instead of taking her up on the offer she became angry.

"I thought you liked Danny!" She yelled. "I thought you really, really liked him! And you're willing to just give that up just because you want a friend to help you with your silly ghost hunting! Well forget it! I won't be a party to anything that's going to potentially hurt Danny!" She turned on her heel and stormed off. Valerie stood watching her unable to realize the double meaning of Sam's statement.

"Man!" Valerie cursed then followed after Sam. "I didn't mean it like that. I mean that I know you like him to and I'd just step out of the way, stop interfering. I wouldn't hurt him! Man I'd never hurt Danny!"

Sam stopped walking and closed her eyes and laughed slightly at that statement. No Valerie wouldn't hurt Danny, even though she'd tried to kill him on numerous occasions. She looked at Valerie a moment and took in the look of anxiety and desperation on the girl's face.

"The first thing I'm going to say to you," Sam told her forcefully and fearlessly. "Is that Danny is my friend. My best friend. I _might_ like him as more in some weird far off reaches of my heart but really that's irrelevant. I'm telling you now that if you hurt him. I'm coming after you and not all the ghost hunting equipment in the world is going to save your butt. The same goes for coming between my friendship with him. Tucker and Danny are my life!"

Valerie smirked at Sam. The Goth girl lived in a world of ultimate denial. Sam didn't just like Danny. She loved him. Valerie rephrased Sam's statement in her head. Danny is her life. The ghost hunter began to really feel bad for the girl who couldn't admit her feelings, even to herself.

"Okay," Valerie said softly. "I'll do my best never to disrupt your friendship with Danny. I just need help. I need a friend too. Maybe Danny will help…"

"No," Sam said. "You shouldn't bring Danny into this…" she paused trying to think of a good reason. "Have you ever seen him and Tucker run? He'd never be able to keep up with you in a good ghost fight. You wouldn't want to put him in that kind of danger." _Lies lies lies Sam, _her inner voice chided. They are going to come back to bite you hard.

Sam shook her head considered telling Valerie that she already had disrupted her friendship with Danny, but decided that she didn't want to argue anymore. There would be benefits in being Valerie's "ghost hunting support" she would be in the perfect position to protect Danny. That clinched it.

"All right," Sam said. "We'll give it this week and see how things work out."

"Okay," Valerie agreed as they walked back to the mall.

"But I'm not going to follow you," Sam said.

"I'm not going to lead," Valerie added.

"Then I guess we'll just have to be friends," Sam replied then sighed as she shook her head in disbelief.

THE END

**_XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX_**

**I've noticed that people are always pitting Valerie and Sam against each other as rivals and enemies. I've read a fic, Ashes to Ashes where Val and Sam are good friends and I liked the concept. I like Valerie. I like Sam. They are both great characters who get lost in the shuffle of who should be with Danny. This story puts that aside and starts out a friendship between the two. I could do a lot more with this story, but the challenge was for a one shot….so there it is. What do you think Lacey52? **


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own Danny Phantom. No matter how much I wish, I don't own Danny or any of the related characters. **

**This is for Sasia. I wish you'd either sign up for FFN or email me so that when you make statements like….Can you continue this story. I can answer with…Why I haven't. My e-mail is on my profile, feel free to contact me if you can't PM me. I do not bite. **

Chapter Two: Female Bonding

Tucker Foley was standing outside helping his mother wash the windows when he heard the pounding feet of runners. He turned casually to look, hoping to catch a glimpse perhaps, of a couple of fair maidens as they exercised their Sunday afternoon away. The sight his eyes beheld nearly caused his heart to stop beating. He dropped the soapy sponge in his hand and his jaw dropped open.

"Hi Tuck," Sam waved cheerfully as she ran by.

"Hi Tuck," Valerie called from beside Sam. Both girls surveyed the stunned look on Tucker's face and started laughing. Tucker ran to the fence and watched as they jogged down the road.

"Stop looking at our butts Tuck!" Sam yelled over her shoulder. Tucker shook his head then looked up at the sky to see if maybe he was going to be struck dead by a falling meteorite, for surly on a day where Sam and Valerie were running down the street in what looked like amiable companionship, the world must be coming to an end.

"I think we shocked him," Valerie laughed as she checked her watch. They'd run a good five miles together and neither girl felt like stopping. Well, not true Valerie was almost ready for a break, but she wasn't going to tell Sam that, especially when the Goth girl looked as cool as a cucumber.

Sam smiled almost ready to pick up the pace when she noticed the flush of exhaustion rising up in Valerie's face and she slowed down. "Wanna stop?" she asked.

"Only if you do," Valerie said as she hoped Sam was ready to rest.

"Yeah," Sam said even though she was used to running a couple of more miles. "I think we need a cool down."

The two girl's walked a block over to the park where Valerie flopped down in the grass. Sam followed suit and began to stretch. Valerie looked at the Goth girl, rolled her eyes and followed suit.

"I would never have figured you for a runner," Valerie said.

Sam smiled. Her answer should have been, "When you're constantly trying to keep up with Danny and running around in combat boots, you get in shape fast." But she couldn't say that to Valerie so instead she told her and quite truthfully. "I've been running for awhile now. It clears my mind when I have too much to worry about."

Valerie wanted to sarcastically ask Sam what she had to worry about. Valerie had spent the night at Sam's house and naturally discovering one of Sam's many secrets, that she was filthy rich.

"Why don't people know you're loaded?" Valerie asked in awe and a little bit of jealousy. Sam's home reminded her how far she'd fallen.

"I'm not rich," Sam answered coldly. "My parents are. Besides, I don't want to make friends based on the fact that I have money. I want people to like me for me, not what I can buy for them."

Valerie looked around Sam's room. Of course she was unaware of the large scrap book which was missing from it's place of honor on Sam's dressing table. Or that a couple of pictures on the wall had disappeared at the knowledge of her arrival. All she saw was the dark Goth room with the moody lights and candles.

The girls had watched a few movies, talked about boys. Yes, it was amazing that Sam Manson actually talked about boys confiding that, even though she thought he was a world class jerk, Sam thought Dash Baxter was kinda cute.

Then came the face painting session and soon the dawning realization why Sam was the way she was. Sam had put some heavy eyeliner and dark eye make up on Valerie for a decidedly punk look. Valerie didn't especially like it, but she could live with it.

Valerie's turn provided her with something she'd always wanted to see. Sam wearing light pink eye shadow, blush, pink lipstick, and her hair tied away from her face. Valerie was a little surprised at how pretty Sam really was when all the Goth was washed off. She'd be able to give Paulina a run for her money for the prettiest girl in school title. Valerie figured that Sam's thinking about her looks must go along the same lines as her money. She wanted people to like her despite her appearance, not because she was pretty. Then she met Pam Manson. Sam's mom who ultimately was the grown up equivalent of Paulina.

"Oh dear!" Pam squealed delightedly as she entered the room. "Look at my Sammykins! Just look at that dear, pretty little face. I just can't believe it" She clasped her hands to her chest. "I knew that if I held out and hoped long enough that…"

"Mom," Sam said as she cut her mother off mid gush. "We're just playing with the make up. I'm not changing. I hate pink. I don't want to be popular. I am still a vegetarian." She gestured to Valerie. "This is my friend Valerie."

Valerie watched as Mrs. Manson's face fell with every declaration of Sam's until she got to the "my friend, Valerie," part.

"A girl!" Pam Manson said on a sigh. "You're father and I have despaired of you ever finding normal friends. Daniel Fenton and Tucker Foley as nice as Tucker is, are not suitable companions for a young impressionable lady such as yourself." She eyed Valerie for a moment then sighed.

"Welcome to our home Valerie," Pam said as her face began to look strained and slightly angry. She nodded at Sam then left the room.

Sam picked up a tissue and wiped the lipstick off her mouth. "As you can see, my parents have a great deal of difficulty accepting me for who I am. They want me to be Samantha the high society princess and to be my mother's pretty little dress up mini-me. No thank you."

"It could be worse," Valerie started.

"They hate everything about me Valerie," Sam said, not letting Valerie get any further. "Right down to my friends. They even took a restraining order out on Danny once,"

Valerie looked up at the blue sky and watched the clouds pass by. Sam might be rich, but she seemed to be lacking in one of the things that made life bearable, love.

"So tomorrow," Valerie said as she sat in the park resting from their run hoping that a ghost didn't decide to show it's ugly face at this exact moment, because she just didn't feel like running after it. "Tomorrow we do my work out."

"Tomorrow." Sam said then blinked at Valerie. "What makes you think there is going to be a tomorrow?"

"Because it's paybacks," Valerie laughed as she grabbed a bottle of water from her bag. "It's going to be your turn to struggle to keep up."

Sam didn't reply, she simply dug in her pocket for her cell phone. "I need to call Tucker," She explained as she dialed. "He's probably going into super geek melt down as we speak."

* * *

"Sam!" Tucker screeched when he answered the phone. "Have you lost your mind? Are you being overshadowed? Are you okay? Do I need to call Danny?"

Sam smiled slightly and looked at Valerie who was sitting in the grass beside her, tying her shoe. Sam stood and walked a little way away. "No," She answered "No and no."

"Then was it my imagination that you were running down the street with Valerie. Valerie Grey?" Tucker screeched.

"No," Sam answered. "She spent the night at my house and…"

"What!" Tucker screeched. "She what? At your house. Oh my gosh Sam. Something is wrong! I'm calling Danny and…."

"Tucker!" Sam growled. "Stop it with the drama queen act already."

"Okay," Tucker said quietly. "So what are you up to Sam? Are you a double agent or something."

"Yeah," Sam agreed. "I guess it's something like that. Can we hang out this evening? I really need to talk…I'm O.Ding on estrogen right now and have the urge to go shopping." Tucker told her that he'd be waiting and Sam hung up her phone and walked back to Valerie.

"Did he freak?" Valerie asked looking at Sam who seemed to have retreated into a distant world.

"Yeah," Sam answered almost absently. She shook her head and looked at Valerie a moment and smiled slightly. "He thinks that maybe I'm being overshadowed by a ghost."

Valerie laughed then looked at her watch. "I guess we better go. My dad's going to be over at your house to pick me up in like fifteen minutes and then I need to go to work."

Sam stretched again then looked wickedly at Valerie. She grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder. "Last one there is a rotten egg." She took off running and with a groan of protest Valerie took off after her.

"Damn," Valerie whispered to herself in annoyance. "Sam can run way too fast."

* * *

Tucker sat beside Sam getting his butt kicked in Mortal Kombat. He hated that she could beat him so easily. Of course Tucker could beat Danny, but Danny wasn't there to take his frustrations out on.

"So," Tucker finally said after his twenty-third butt kicking. "You and Val friends now or what?"

Sam frowned as she put down her video game controller and leaned back on the couch. "I don't know Tuck. It's weird. She's really nice and funny and isn't really that judgmental."

"But?" Tucker pushed.

"But nothing," Sam said as she looked down at her hands. "I'm finding few reasons to hate her anymore."

"Except that Danny wants to date her," Tucker stated.

"Yeah," Sam sighed. He eyes widened and she looked up at Tucker in a little bit of shock. "I mean no. What I mean is despite all that, and the fact that she wants to kill Danny's ghost half. I really like her. She's fun."

"Well all I have to say is be careful," Tucker said as he cued up another game. "I know this is Sam I'm talking to, but even the best of us can slip up from time to time."

"She wants me to be her sidekick," Sam told Tucker and watched as the boy's dark face paled. He turned his light hazel eyes to her and opened his mouth. Sam told him about her afternoon at the mall on Saturday.

Tucker took a deep breath. "You told her no way, right? I mean there is no way! How in the hell would you pull off supporting both of them in a ghost fight?" Tucker shook his head. "You know I was just kidding about that double agent stuff? Right?"

"I know," Sam said softly. "But I figure that it's a good way to protect Danny. Plus, I won't have to run and hide anymore when she shows up in the middle of one of Danny's fights."

"You're insane Sam," Tucker said. "You're going to get yourself killed, and probably by Valerie when she figures out that you're double crossing her. But, maybe by Danny instead. I don't know."

Sam simply shrugged. "We all do what we have to do Tuck."

"I guess," The Techno Geek said warily.

Sam cued up another game and actually let Tucker gain the upper hand on her for once. She could practically hear him thinking and it was bothering her.

"What?" Sam asked as she turned her purple eyes to Tucker who was smiling in a forced sort of way.

"When Danny finds all this out he's going to take it as a silent agreement of acceptance and he'll start chasing Valerie full force," Tucker warned. "You know that right?"

An emotion that Sam was loath to describe washed over her and she began to feel weak and sick. Tucker, for the first time in a long time kicked her butt in Mortal Kombat. Not once, not twice, but three times.

"You need to tell him before it's too late Sam," Tucker said worriedly. "Or you're going to lose him."

Sam put down her controller. "How can I lose him?" She asked Tucker, her voice devoid of emotion. "I never had him. In the first place."

Tucker took a deep breath as he fiddled with the controller. "Okay." he said. "What ever you decide to do. You know I'm there for you right?"

"Thanks Tuck," Sam said as she leaned over and gave the Techno Geek a rare hug. Tucker put his arm over her, knowing that if she actually sought human contact, that she must really be upset and in need of comforting.

"Besides," Sam said as she sighed onto Tucker's shoulder. "Danny is going to do what Danny is going to do. Obviously he wants a relationship with Valerie. If I'm friends with Val too…then I don't lose him completely. You know?"

Tucker nodded his head in pity. "I think you're flirting with disaster Sam, but you are just as headstrong as Danny and you're going to do what you're going to do too. But like I said, when you fall down I'll be here, but I'm still going to say I told you so."

"Gee thanks," Sam said.

"Don't mention it," Tucker replied.

Sam shook her head and went back to playing the game. Her cell phone rang and she picked it up. "It's Danny," she told Tucker.

"Hey you big dork. You get somewhere with a phone and your first impulse is to call here?" Sam laughed.

"Yeah," Danny said across a line filled with static. "I just wanted to make sure there hadn't been any ghost trouble."

Sam looked at Tucker who was gesturing that he wanted the phone and gave him a dirty look. "Not much ghost activity here. How about things on your side?"

"I think they all followed me," Danny admitted. "So much for a vacation."

"You know what they say," Sam laughed. "There's no rest for the wicked."

Danny laughed, "In that case we're not bringing Jazz along next time. I miss you guys."

Tucker narrowed his eyes as he watched Sam's expression soften. "We miss you too." Tucker hit her shoulder and held out his hand for the phone. "Geeze Tuck hold on!"

"He pestering you?" Danny asked.

"Yeah," Sam sighed. "You better talk to him or I'll get no peace."

"Yo! Dude!" Tucker yelled into the phone. "When are you going to get back here? I'm bored out of my skull without you, especially with Sam hanging around with her new best friend."

"Valerie?" Danny asked in amusement.

"Valerie." Tucker confirmed.

"I know I talked to her a few minutes ago and she told me she and Sam were bonding." Danny answered.

"You did?" Tucker asked in a weak tone as he cast a quick glance at Sam who was looking at him questioningly. Tucker turned away from Sam. Then got up and walked from the room.

"Dude," Tucker warned. "I wouldn't tell Sam you called Val first. Seriously."

"Why not?" Danny asked in clueless confusion.

"Because Sam will flip out. Trust me." Tucker told his friend. "It's a girl territorial loyalty thing. Just don't tell her."

"Ooookay," Danny said. "She and Valerie have really been hanging together?"

"Oh it's much more than that Mr. Phantom," Tucker said. "Valerie is trying to steal Sam from you."

"What?" came Danny's shocked reply.

"Exactly," Tucker said.

"Tucker," Danny growled. "Explain yourself."

"Ha I bet you have all these dirty little thoughts running around in that empty little head of yours," Tucker teased.

"I'm serious Tucker. Start explaining or I'm going to ditch this camping crap and come kick your butt!"

Tucker laughed then checked on Sam who was glaring at him from her spot on the floor. He walked down the hall again and said, "Saturday at the mall they ran into Skulker. Sam ended up helping Val catch him and Val asked her to join her in her ghost hunting endeavors."

Danny was silent on the other end of the line. Finally he repeated, "Valerie wants Sam to help her hunt me?"

"Yes," Tucker answered.

"What did Sam say?" Danny asked already knowing the answer.

"She said she'd give it a try," Tucker replied smugly.

"Can I talk to Sam please?" Danny asked, his voice sounding oddly strained.

"Sounds like your boyfriend is pissed at you," Tucker said as he tossed the phone to Sam.

"What did you tell him?" Sam asked as she gave a smug looking Tucker a sour look.

Sam put the phone to her ear. "Danny? What did Tucker just tell you?"

"Did Val really ask you to help her hunt ghosts?" Danny asked softly.

"Yeah," Sam answered.

"And you said yes?" his voice went up in pitch and Sam smiled slightly.

"I didn't say I'd help hunt you," Sam laughed. "Get a grip Danny. I figured I could help get her out of your hair, maybe change her mind about the Phantom."

"How are you supposed to help her?" Danny asked. "You're always helping me."

"Well," Sam said in a short tone of voice. "You don't seem to need me anymore. Tucker either. You're always off alone fighting ghosts, so I don't think it will be that hard."

"Sam it's dangerous," Danny began. "Valerie doesn't have enough ghost experience. She can't save you if…"

"Danny I can save myself very well thank you very much," Sam interrupted.

"That means I'm going to have one more person to watch out for when fighting ghosts!" Danny exclaimed angrily.

"No it just means you have me watching your back keeping Valerie from shooting you in it Dummy." Sam yelled.

Sam listened to Danny take a deep breath on the line. She smiled slightly and closed her eyes. At least she could take comfort in the fact that he still worried about her. His next words took her breath away and caused her heart to skip more than a few beats.

"But Sam," Danny said in a cute pouty voice. "You're mine!" Sam blinked and looked at Tucker a moment, she could feel a blush spreading across her cheeks like some insane disease. She had to yell at herself to make herself realize that he didn't mean that the way it sounded.

Sam swallowed hard. "I think that Valerie needs me a little more than you do right now." Sam said trying not to sound shaky. "I mean you've made it pretty clear that you can do all the work yourself. Besides, I am still helping you keeping Val from breathing down your neck. I thought you'd be happy. Like I said, you don't need me anymore anyway."

"Sam," Danny said in exasperation. "I do so need you! I've always needed you! I just don't want you or Tuck to get hurt! That's why I've been leaving you out."

Sam swallowed hard. Danny was killing her. Here he was telling her all the words she so longed to hear, except he was using them in all the wrong context. "Danny I…" Sam started then paused. "Crap hold on Danny don't hang up. I have another call coming in." Tucker gave Sam a confused look as she clicked over and then paled.

"Sam!" Valerie said urgently. "We've got ghosts! Park! Now!" She hung up and Sam clicked over to Danny.

"Dan," she said in a calm but urgent voice. "Val just called. There's a ghost attack in the park. I gotta go." She disconnected the call, threw the phone to Tucker and ran out of the house.

Tucker blinked a few times then looked at the phone as it began to ring again. "H-hello?" Tucker answered and found an extremely irate Danny on the other end.

"I'm sorry Dude," Tucker said. "She took off out of here like a flash of lightning."

Tucker listened to Danny freak for a minute then answered. "Sorry Danny I don't know who the ghost is." Danny hung up on him without another word and Tucker shook his head. Then picked up his controller and began playing another game.

He looked out the window and said, "Shhh quit bothering me. This isn't my mess to clean up." He sat there a moment longer then growled and headed out the door toward the park.

* * *

**Ha looks like we found a case of jealousy where we least expected it huh?**

**I have another chapter of this story, but I don't know if it's anything I'll ever finish, which is why I left it as a one shot.**


	3. Chapter 3

**See look I had written another chapter too……**

Chapter Three: Working It Out

"Oh geeze!" Sam groaned as she tried to pull her chin up over the bar for the twenty-fifth time. She conceded that she was lucky she got as far as she did. Upper body strength just wasn't her thing. She looked over at Valerie whose eyes were closed and was counting to herself as she did pull ups. "Forty-seven, forty-eight, forty-nine, fifty!" She let go of the bar and looked at Sam in triumph.

Sam held up her hands, "I admit it freely. You have me beat. I'm just no good at the upper body strength stuff."

"Yeah," Valerie said sadly. "But don't be so hard on yourself. You're really better than average, and with a little work you'll be doing as good as me in no time."

"Just don't expect me to try the flips and balancing again," Sam said sheepishly as she rubbed her back side. "There is a reason I'm the back up to the hero. An acrobat I am not."

Valerie laughed, "I can't figure out why you have such bad balance."

"It's the Goth in me," Sam replied with a straight face. "I am out of balance with the world, therefore I cannot balance upon it."

Valerie looked at her for a moment then cracked up laughing, "Ah you're too funny Sam." Sam only blinked at the girl.

Valerie paused. "You're not kidding?" Sam raised her eyebrows and looked sheepish.

"Geeze," Valerie said. "I'm sorry I…"

Sam cracked a smile and Valerie gave her a unsure look. "I am kidding," Sam said then laughed lightly causing Valerie to give her an even more unsure look which caused Sam herself to crack up laughing.

"Wow Val," Sam said. As she flopped down on a near by mat. "You're gullible. You need to get over that if you're ever going to handle Tuck and Danny's pranks."

Valerie narrowed her eyes at Sam feeling happy that the girl was including her with Tucker and Danny. "Why are you lounging around young lady!" She yelled. "We have stairs to run up and down."

"Ha!" Sam laughed. "When I deign to get up, I'll kick your butt at that and you know it."

"Come on lazy lump." Valerie said as she grabbed Sam's arm and pulled her up off the floor. "I'm not like Tucker and Danny. We're not going to spend our time lounging around playing video games all day."

"Ugh!" Sam groaned as she rolled her eyes then followed Valerie outside of the school gym where they began running up and down bleachers. Sam began to feel better, but her thoughts moved on to Danny and what happened last night.

He showed up right after the fight was over. The ghost in the park was just a small minor annoyance. It wasn't a big deal at all. In fact, Valerie didn't really need Sam there to dispatch it at all, but both girls discussed the situation and thought it would be better to work out the communication kinks, and that every ghost had the potential to be major.

It was half an hour after Valerie and she had parted ways and Sam entered her room and was blown off her feet by an invisible force that Sam encountered a very different and difficult ghost.

"Danny," Sam said in exasperation as she floated near the ceiling. "Let me go."

"What are you up to Sam?" Danny asked almost angrily as he put her down on the ground.

Sam straightened her clothing then sat at her desk. "I'm not going to talk to you until you become visible," she said.

Danny appeared standing at the end of her bed and she smiled at him as he looked back his white hair still mussed with the speed of flight and his green eyes looking at her questioningly and obviously a bit embarrassed.

"So Jazz covering for you?" Sam asked as she folded her arms across her chest and smirked at him.

"Yeah," Danny said as he sat. "I guess that ghost wasn't much of a big deal huh?"

"Val and I handled it just fine without you," Sam said almost smugly. "Does that bother you Danny?"

"No," Danny said angrily. "In some ways it's kind of a relief. I'd like to take a break from all this ghost hunting. But not at the risk of my best friend."

"I'm not at risk," Sam said not quite understanding Danny's meaning. "You know Valerie is really good at ghost fighting and as long as I stay out of the way, like I am used to doing, and watch her back for her, everything will be fine."

"But what happens when you do get into trouble?" Danny asked. "Valerie isn't a ghost, she doesn't have ghost powers. She can't save you if you're falling off a building Sam. She can't phase you through walls you've been thrown through. She can't block ectoplasmic blasts sent your way.

Sam smiled slightly at Danny. "You can't always protect me either. Unless you've suddenly mastered the trick of multiplying yourself. I've been shot at and fallen so many times, I'm not even scared of it anymore."

"And you should be!" Danny said angrily. "Why do you think I do the ghost fighting alone these days Sam? I have nightmares. Literal nightmares where I make a mistake and you get killed."

Sam walked over and sat next to Danny. "I'm sorry you have nightmares Danny," she said. "But you're not responsible for me and my choices."

"But Sam…" Danny started.

"No," Sam said gruffly. "You have really been trying to shut Tucker and I out lately. You've been crushing over Valerie and I honestly don't feel like I have a place in your life anymore Dan. Maybe…Maybe it's just time for us to move on."

Danny closed his eyes and leaned forward, supporting his head in his hands. "I don't mean to shut you guys out. Really. It's just I have enough to worry about without constantly being on watch for you guys. And now Jazz has jumped into the whole ghost fighting thing and…"

"You've been thinking about your future evil self aren't you?" Sam asked. "And the fact that you couldn't rescue us at the Nasty Burger even after defeating him."

"Well yeah," Danny said. "That was a huge wakeup call. I can't lose the people that mean the most to me Sam. You and Tucker are my family too!"

Sam put her hand on Danny's back and rubbed soothing circles as she spoke, "Danny. I like ghost hunting. I like the action. I like being in the thick of things. I like Valerie too. She and I have a lot in common."

Danny sighed deeply, "I don't want to lose you Sam. You're my best friend. Mine. Not Val's."

"Possessive aren't we?" Sam asked as she laughed she closed her eyes and grew serious for a moment. "Danny," she said softly. "I know you very well. We've been friends forever. I know that even though Valerie told you that she didn't have time for a relationship, that you intend on changing her mind."

Danny sat up straight and looked at Sam. He opened and closed his mouth a few times and his eyes saddened as he looked into Sam's own emotions filled eyes. "Yeah but what does that have to do with ghost hunting?"

"Nothing," Sam answered. "But what girlfriend is going to want their boyfriend to have another girl for a very best friend? Hmm? I know I wouldn't stand for it."

"But you know Valerie," Danny argued. "She's not like that she's…"

"A girl!" Sam said as she laughed bitterly. "Man, Danny you are so clueless sometimes!"

"Why?" Danny asked feeling confused and irritated. "How?"

Sam gave him a tired look. "I'm working at keeping you in my life. If I'm friends with Valerie she's not going to have a cow if she finds out you fell asleep here one afternoon while doing homework. If I'm friends with Val then you have more difficulty shutting me out. I've planned my strategy well."

"You talk as if you're going to war," Danny said almost angrily.

"I am!" Sam growled. "I'm fighting to keep my best friend! I'm fighting to protect you as well."

"Protect me?" Danny asked in outrage as he sat up and looked at Sam. "I don't need…."

"Yes!" Sam answered as she cut Danny off. "I've always done everything I could to protect you. I hide your secret. I cover for you. And now things are getting really complicated."

"Complicated how?" Danny asked. "I can just drop the whole liking Val thing. I can just let it go."

Sam sighed heavily and bent forward with her head in her hands, mimicking Danny's prior pose. Man it would be so easy to say okay. Things might even go back to the way they were. Just Danny, Tuck and her. She could go back to her crush on Danny and live securely in denial that she was going to lose him to another girl someday. But, Sam was smarter than that.

"Danny," she said softly as she shook her head. "Don't be stupid."

Danny tentatively put his hand on Sam's back and she nearly jumped out of her skin. Turning to look up him with wide purple eyes. He winced away like he was expecting a beating.

Sam looked into the green eyes she loved just as much as the blue and smiled with such tenderness that Danny's breath caught in his throat. He swallowed hard and was at a loss for words. Sam's smile widened into a grin and she reached over and smoothed his wayward hair out of his eyes.

"Someday," She said tenderly. "Either you're going to want to tell her or something is going to happen and Valerie is going to find out your secret. And the event is going to go one of two ways. First scenario is she's going to be so angry that she's going to try and kill you. Second scenario she accepts you for how you are and this whole vendetta against your ghost half is dropped."

"The second one hardly seems likely," Danny said as he watched Sam's expression fade to her normal bland expression and he relaxed a little. "And I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that if you are friends with Val that you can some how soften the blow, make her more receptive to the fact that I'm Danny Phantom. But the truth is, she'll probably just turn on you too because you've known all along. I don't think Valerie is a person who accepts betrayal too well."

"We all have to take chances I guess," Sam said as she looked down at her shoes. "If you can take chances. I can take chances."

"But you're taking chances with my safety too," Danny argued. "And it kinda sucks that you are trying to be friends with someone you don't like to stay friends with someone else."

Sam gave Danny a very irritated look. "Ok it's time to deflate your ego a little Mr. Big Shot." She smiled bitterly then said, "I like Val. A lot. She's fun. We have a lot in common."

"Like what?" Danny asked skeptically. He couldn't think of one thing that Sam and Valerie had in common, except a like of ghost hunting.

"Well we're both girls for one thing," Sam said as she laughed. "I know you forget that I'm a girl half the time, but yeah. I am female."

"I know you're a girl!" Danny said in outrage then blushed.

"It's fun to have someone to be feminine with," Sam said much to Danny's shock. "To actually share the female perspective with who understand girl things. Plus she doesn't want to just lie around all day playing video games and veg out. I like her style too. She's not shallow or anything. She's fun."

Danny sighed. "There's nothing I can do to change your mind?"

"I can't change yours. Why should you be able to change mine?" Sam asked.

Danny sighed deeply. "I need to get back before Mom and Dad miss me and Jazz runs out of explanations about where I went. I can just imagine Dad getting lost in the wilderness looking for me."

"Don't worry about Val and I," Sam said as she stood and walked to her window. "We'll be fine. Just enjoy your vacation."

"Yeah," Danny sighed. "Like that's possible." He looked at Sam and thought about hugging her. They hugged often. It wasn't a weird thing to do, but by the look on her face, Danny was scared to touch her.

"I'll see you Saturday," he finally said

Sam smiled and waved at him. He gave her a doubtful look then flew away. Sam watched out the window for a little bit then let a sad expression fall across her face.

* * *

"Earth to Sam," Valerie said as she waved her hand past the Goth girl's face. "Are you there? Zoning out on me?"

Sam blinked a few times as she pushed the argument she'd had with Danny from her mind, then looked at Valerie. "I guess I'm just tired. I was up late last night reading that book you leant me.

"Ahhh!" Valerie said as she teased. "I knew you wouldn't be able to put it down."

"I've never been much for suspense novels," Sam admitted. "But the book was really good."

The two girls, finished with their work out, walked home discussing books and then movies. They sat up in Sam's room for several hours laughing over what Sam would normally term silly, fluffy girl things.

Sam looked at the clock and sighed, "I have to go meet Tucker. He probably feels like I've totally abandoned him."

"Poor Tuck," Valerie said as she shook her head. "No Danny. No Sam. What do you think he's been doing with himself?"

"Internet," Sam said as she smiled. "He's playing his favorite online game, having completely forgotten the time and oblivious to the world around him. He'll only start feeling lonely and neglected when he looks around and realizes what time it is."

* * *

Sam was relieved that Tucker wasn't upset with her when she stopped by his house after Valerie left. He actually encouraged her to spend time with Valerie instead of worrying about what he was doing.

"I have a lot of computer upgrading to catch up with," Tucker told her. "On top of all the chores my mom has lined up for me I'd like to get some rest. You know?"

"Yeah," Sam said as she sighed and picked at a hole in the knee of her purple leggings.

The two friends sat in silence for awhile before Sam asked. "Have you heard from Danny?"

Tucker looked at Sam for a moment, attempting fruitlessly to read the girl's expression. "Yeah," Tucker answered. "He wanted me to try to talk some sort of sense into you. I figure your friends are your business. It's not like we all have some kind of bond keeping us all together. You know."

Sam gave Tucker a thoughtful look. She couldn't tell if Tucker was being sarcastic or supportive. She decided she didn't care what he thought. Sam had made a habit in life to care little for what other people thought of her actions or beliefs.

"Sam," Tucker said softly. "All good things come to an end right? Regardless of what Danny thinks, I believe you should do what you want. I mean, I hate losing you…but."

Sam rolled her eyes and gave a tsk of exasperation. "Just because I've become good friends with Valerie doesn't mean you've lost me Tuck! Nothing is changing. I'm just broadening my horizons."

Tucker nodded. "Like I said, everything changes. Things end. It was nice being just us three while it lasted, but I knew it wouldn't be forever."

He was more hurt than he was letting himself on to. Sam could tell she narrowed her eyes and leaned close to Tucker. He smiled slightly and she shook her head. "You're a really jerk you know that?" Sam asked.

Tucker put his arm around Sam and laughed. "I try really hard," he answered. "Just be aware that Danny's going to want to talk to you when he gets back."

"I know," Sam sighed. "But you're right Tuck. Things change." Tucker nodded his head sadly.

* * *

Valerie chewed on her thumbnail as she listened to the phone ring. She was nervous. She didn't know how her benefactor was going to take the news that she had someone helping her hunt Danny Phantom. She hoped he wouldn't be angry.

"Hello Valerie," Vlad said as he answered the phone. "A little early for a progress report isn't it? I wasn't expecting to hear from you until next month.

"Hi Mr. Masters," Valerie said. "I'm sorry if I'm disturbing you. I was just wondering if you could send me another ghost detector."

"Why?" Vlad asked. "Did that rotten ghost boy destroy your other one?"

"Well no," Valerie said sheepishly. "I have someone helping me now and it would really help if she knew when ghosts were around."

"Someone helping you?" Vlad asked archly. "I wouldn't think that someone such as yourself would need assistance hunting one measly little ghost boy."

"Yeah well things are kinda complicated," Valerie said weakly. "I needed someone to share my secret with. Someone I could trust and well she's my best friend now and…"

"Is it that Star girl?" Vlad asked his voice filled with doubt. "I hardly think she's someone you can…"

"No," Valerie interrupted wondering who Vlad knew about Star. She didn't recall telling him about any of her friend. "It's not Star. It's Sam. Samantha Manson."

Vlad choked and coughed and sputtered. "Are you all right?" Valerie asked in concern.

"I'm fine," Vlad said as he regained control of himself.

"Sam's a really nice girl. She's not afraid of ghosts and well, you might know her. She's a friend of Danny's."

"Yes," Vlad said schooling his tone into one of less interest. "I know who Samantha Manson is. And now you and she are good friends?"

"Yes," Valerie answered. "She's even been on a few ghost hunts with me and…"

"Say no more," Vlad said as the wheels of diabolical thought spun in his wicked mind. "I will have everything your new friend-in-arms will need to help you carry out your task."

"Thank you so much Mr. Masters," Valerie said. "I don't know how to repay you!"

"I have only asked for one thing from you Miss Grey," Vlad said gently. "I hope you adhere to those terms."

"I will!" Valerie promised. "Thank you." She hung up the phone and decided that things hadn't gone as badly as she thought they would. She expected Mr. Masters to have all sorts of questions and objections. He was quick to agree and in so doing chased away all the qualms Valerie had about asking Sam to back her up in her ghost hunting work.

Valerie walked over to her Nasty Ned costume and dusted it off. She had to work on Saturday evening, but she was looking forward to spending the day with Sam. It was good to have friends again, and even better to have a good friend.

Sam never laughed at Valerie's opinions, though she objected from time to time and made jokes, Valerie knew that Sam didn't judge her, nor did she try to change her. Well no, that wasn't true. Sam was trying hard to rally her to the side of ultra recycle vegetarianism and her beliefs about the environment and cruelty to animals.

Valerie and Sam had quite a few arguments about the ethical treatment of animals regarding animal testing. Through it all, Sam had respected Valerie's right to disagree, even if she did think it was disgusting and irresponsible. Valerie never had a friend who didn't expect her to follow their lead or be lead by her, who treated her as a complete equal.

"I just hope our friendship holds up once school starts again," Valerie said to herself as she tied her shoes then jogged out the door to catch the bus that would take her to the park where she was meeting Sam to go running.

* * *

Sam was stretching as she waited for Valerie when Danny and Tucker showed up. She looked at them blankly, trying not to smile at the looks of determination on their faces.

"What are you up to guys?" Sam asked.

"We're going to run with you and Valerie," Tucker said hoarsely then cleared his throat and looked at Danny, who was staring Sam down.

Sam smirked at Danny. "How did you talk Tucker into this?" she asked then turned to Tuck. "Did he threaten you with something?"

"Yes," Tucker said then shot Danny an exasperated look.

"An you!" Sam said. "Didn't you just get back? Wouldn't you rather be at home resting?"

"I'm fine," Danny said stiffly.

"Okay," Sam said as she checked her shoe laces. She looked over her shoulder to see Valerie approaching.

"Hey guys," Valerie said, shooting Sam a look of confusion.

"Hey Val," Sam said then gestured to Danny and Tuck. "These to lumps of laziness think they can run with us, and keep up."

"Oh yeah?" Valerie said as she turned and looked at Tuck then at Danny in a way that made him blush. She laughed then turned to Sam.

"Ready?" Sam asked her eyes gleaming wickedly.

"Yup," Valerie said catching on to Sam's thought. She smiled again at Danny. "Eat our Dust boys." With that Valerie and Sam took off running.

"And no using your ghost powers," Tucker said as he glared at Danny. Danny frowned then followed after the girls, Tuck not far…then far behind.

* * *

**I still say this story is dead in the water  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**And this is the last chapter I wrote. Then I had a melt down and deleted most of this story. Heck I almost stopped writing completely. **

Chapter Four

Sam waved and smiled at Valerie as the bus she was in drove away. Danny stood beside Sam waving as well, feeling a little bit put out.

"Is this all you and Val do together?" He asked.

Sam gave Danny an exasperated look. "No, usually we sit and have voodoo ceremonies cursing you ghostly self," she told him sarcastically as she walked away intent on finding poor Tucker, he had been lost early on in their run.

Danny had just managed to keep up, forced to use his ghost powers from time to time as the girls put in an effort to losing him. He said nothing as he walked beside her, he was feeling a bit rejected. A sullen look had replaced his more cheerful demeanor.

Both Danny and Sam stopped and stared as they found Tucker sitting on a bench talking to a girl. They both smiled and in tacit agreement they turned and walked away leaving Tucker to his flirting.

"Why are you mad at me?" Danny finally asked.

Sam sighed heavily. "Because you're acting ridiculous," she finally said as she stopped and looked at him. "I don't even want to argue about it anymore."

Danny frowned as he looked back over his shoulder at Tucker. "So wanna go to the movies or something? Just hang out?"

"Don't you have homework to finish?" Sam asked knowing Danny well enough that he hadn't even started.

"Help me?" Danny asked giving her a puppy dog expression.

"You should have all your homework done," Sam teased.

"When do I have time?" Danny asked. "Between camping and fighting ghosts…."

"You could have stayed home and worked on it instead of dragging poor Tuck out here to chase Val and I around the park."

Danny pointed back toward Tucker. "Don't call him poor Tuck. I think poor Tuck is pretty happy he was dragged out here."

Sam smiled wryly then looked at the hopeful expression on Danny's face. "Okay," she said. "But I'm warning you. I'm only helping you with your homework. I'm not going to do all the work."

"Ahh!" Danny said as he put his arm around Sam and hugged her to him as they walked. "That's a proper little sidekick!"

"Now you're working on getting yourself killed," Sam said in a fierce tone of voice, trying not to laugh. "You know Valerie hasn't asked me to do her homework for her."

"Yet!" Danny said as he held up one finger. His expression went quickly from amused to serious. "When that time comes Sam, I just want you to remember where your loyalties are, and just who told you so."

Sam swallowed hard mulling Danny's words over in her head. The hurt tone in his voice made her heart hurt. "It's not like I'm turning my back on you Danny," she said softly.

"Feels like it," Danny replied as he tried hard not to sound hurt. "After all you're there consorting with the enemy."

"Yeah, and you want to date the enemy," Sam teased trying not to sound bitter or angry. "So who is wrong here and who is right?" She stepped away from Danny, forcing him to drop his arm from her waist.

"But you see," Danny said as he followed Sam who was in the process of walking away. "We have two different principles here."

Sam shot Danny a dubious look then laughed. "Two different principles. How do you figure that?"

"Well," Danny said then cleared his throat. "If I date Valerie it's because I like her and she doesn't know that I'm Danny Phantom. Therefore, I'm really not putting anyone in danger by my association with her. The only person at risk is myself."

"And Valerie," Sam added.

"What?" Danny asked looking at her in surprise.

"Well you are kind of lying to her," Sam said as she smirked at Danny and his lousy reasoning skills.

"How am I lying?" Danny asked in outrage. "It's not like she's asked me if I have a secret identity and I said no."

Sam shook her head and smiled smugly. "A lie by omission is still a lie Danny. And if she finds out that you've been keeping this from her…then she'll be hurt."

"Then you're saying I should tell her?" Danny asked as he struggled to keep up with Sam's quickened pace.

Sam stopped walking and looked at Danny incredulously. "No!" she yelled. "I'm not saying that at all. What I'm saying is that I'm not abandoning you or simply in cahoots with the enemy. I'm just making friends. You know what those are Danny. Though I think you forget it most of the time."

"What?" Danny shrieked. "You're saying we're not friends?" Sam wanted to pull her hair in irritation. This conversation was getting out of hand. She sat at the nearest bench and looked up at the sky and started watching the clouds. Danny sat down beside her and watched her for a moment then tried to follow her vision.

"What are you looking at?" Danny finally asked.

Sam pointed up at the cloud nearly above them. "It looks like a demented clown," she said then pointed to another. "That one looks like a gargoyle." Danny relaxed a little and smiled as he looked up at the clouds.

"Looks more like a horse to me," Danny said.

"Fright Knight's horse," Sam corrected then pointed at another cloud. "And there's Plasmius. Danny's eyes widened for a moment and he tensed then realized the cloud did look a lot like the wretched Plasmius.

Sam looked at Danny's stricken face and laughed and bumped him with her shoulder. Danny smiled at her and bumped her shoulder back, beginning to feel relieved. The fear that he was about to lose his best friend in the world, was fading fast in the face of their easy friendship.

They sat for awhile, watching the clouds and picking shapes out them until Tucker approached, wearing a pleased and happy expression.

"Guess what guys," he said happily.

"You got a date!" Sam and Danny said in unison.

Tucker looked disappointed then smiled in glee. "Yes!" He cheered. Then sat down in the non-existent space between Danny and Sam, making them both scoot over to accommodate him.

"Well," Sam said as she looked at the TechnoGeek. "Shouldn't you be running home to get ready?"

"Run?" Tucker exclaimed. "I'm not running anymore today! No way."

Danny shivered and a blue mist burst from his mouth causing him to look at his two friends in desperation. Both Sam and Tucker sighed then ran after Danny as he jumped off the bench and dove into the bushes, then ran after him as he flew off.

"Ha!" Sam yelled at Tucker as he struggled to keep up. "So much for not running anymore today."

"Shut up Sam," Tucker huffed angrily.

* * *

Valerie stiffened in her Nasty Ned costume as her ghost sensor went off. She made herself relax. She was at work, there was no way she could leave. The Ghost Boy would beat her to it and get away, but what could she do?

Luckily, her father's new job at Axion labs was going so well that soon her job at the Nasty Burger would no longer be a necessity and she'd be able to focus a lot more of her attention on ghost hunting, much to her father's displeasure.

Valerie was excited. Now that she had Sam helping her fight ghosts, maybe things would go a lot smoother. The Ghost Hunter spent the rest of her shift imagining different battle scenarios which would allow her to finally get that damnable punk ghost kid. She knew that Sam was on the pro-Phantom team, but Valerie was certain that if she presented her new friend all her evidence, it would be easier to convince her new friend that the Phantom was something which needed to be eliminated.

Of course, the true test of their friendship would be Monday morning when they started back to school. The spring break had been nice and they got along well, but maybe they could only be friends when away from classed.

Valerie shook her head and decided to think positive. She would sit with them at lunch on Monday. A happy smile spread across her face, she would finally be part of a group again, and a pretty cool one at that. Plus she'd get to sit and flirt with Danny. How much better could things get?

* * *

"How much worse can things get?" Danny asked as he slammed his locker shut. Sam hadn't met him this morning to walk to school. Instead she'd met up with Valerie early so they could discuss the particulars of some stupid Social Studies presentation they had to give.

Tucker looked at Danny and shook his head. "I don't know what you're having such a cow about," he said. "You should be happy that Sam and Val are friends."

"Yeah," Danny said petulantly then caught sight of the girls, walking down the hall, deep in conversation. Sam caught sight of Danny and waved. Danny waved back then watched as Sam said something to Valerie who looked at Danny, both girls started laughing and Danny couldn't keep from suppressing the blush that rushed up to color his cheeks.

"See," Tucker said as he leaned against his locker and waited as Danny frantically shoved books in his. "There they are, and neither are ditching you."

"Yeah," Danny said trying to not feel so self-conscious as both girls stood and looked at him.

"Good morning Danny," Valerie said sweetly. Danny smiled shyly at her and Sam threw a book at him.

"You forgot this at my house," She said flatly then smiled at him with a mischievous look in her eyes. Danny knew he was in for it. Not only was Sam in one of her sarcastic, sadistic and funny moods, he knew he was going to be the target today. The look in her eyes laid down the challenge and he'd felt so rattled today he didn't know if he could take it.

"Come on Sam," He pleaded. "Pick on someone else. Pick on Tuck."

"Hey!" Tucker said in fear. "Leave me out of this. I've been the target enough times. I'm actually relieved to get out of it for once." Sam turned her gaze to Tucker for a moment and gave him a warning look.

Tucker laughed lightly then turned to Danny. "You're on your own today," he said then ran down the hall, leaving Danny with the two smirking girls. Valerie of course knew what put Sam in the strange mood she was in, but of course, she wouldn't say anything to Danny.

"I've got to get to class too," Valerie said. "I'll see you both at lunch." Both Danny and Sam waved.

"Okay Sammy," Danny said as he narrowed his eyes at the Goth girl. "What's with you?"

"Valerie gave me a present today," she answered as she leaned back against Tucker's locker.

"A present?" Danny asked. Sam flashed the bracelet on her wrist. He gave her a clueless look.

"It's from Vlad," Sam whispered as she looked around deviously.

"Vlad?" Danny exclaimed. "What do you mean it's from Vlad?"

Sam laughed and began walking away. Danny followed her. "Sam!" he growled.

Sam waited for a moment, her eyes filled with glee. "It's a ghost detector," she laughed then went into her class room.

"Oh crap," Danny said as he covered his face with his hand. "Life as he knew it was over and Sam was going to make his life hell."

* * *

**And this is all I have awwww**


End file.
